


when i see your light shine, i know i'm home

by BookPirate



Series: your mess is mine [2]
Category: Pride and Prejudice & Related Fandoms, Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bands, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bassist!Darcy, Established Relationship, F/M, Lawyer!Lizzie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-28
Updated: 2018-03-28
Packaged: 2019-04-14 06:19:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14129916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BookPirate/pseuds/BookPirate
Summary: Sequel to 'saturday sun (i met someone)'. Lizzie and Darcy have been together for almost a year and have kept their relationship under wraps. It irks Lizzie a little, but she'd rather have most of Darcy than none of him.





	when i see your light shine, i know i'm home

**Author's Note:**

> My girl Julie wanted more so here it is! This is super short because I am SWAMPED but it's better than nothing, right?
> 
> Title from 'We're Going Home' by Vance Joy.

If someone had asked Lizzie what the cheesiest named talk show on TV was, she would answer, without a doubt, _More with Morland_. While entertaining, she can’t believe someone actually greenlit a show with that name, even if it is a play on the host’s last name. But, apparently the host went to school with Charlie and Ed, so it’s the first show Netherfield goes on after the release of their third album.

“Can we please give a warm welcome to my favorite band? You know them, I love them, it’s Netherfield!” Catherine shouts as she flourishes her hand towards the entrance where the band will come through.

Lizzie laughs to herself as she sees the boys walk onstage, Rich hamming it up for the crowd while Darcy tries not to draw attention to himself. Charlie laughs as he slings his arm around Ed’s shoulders, squeezing for a second before sitting in the seat closest to Catherine.

Rich takes the seat behind him. “Hey Cathy!”

“Ha ha, I told you to never call me that, Richard,” she says with a tight grin. “You know I hate it.”

“Ignore him,” Charlie insists. “How’re you doing? Last time we were here, it seems like you had about half the amount of people in the crowd.”

Catherine smiles genuinely. “Well, when the hour you’re put on is bumped up, turns out more people tune in. But enough about me! Big news, you boys have come out with your third album, _Shades of Pemberly_!”

Charlie grins and turns to the crowd, which cheers. Lizzie can tell he really actually does enjoy these kinds of things, and wonders, not for the first time, how his friendship with Darcy works. “Yeah, it’s out now!”

“It’s a little longer than your last two, right? 22 songs instead of 17?”

“Just had more to say, I suppose.”

Catherine laughs. “I’ll say! And each song better than the last. I have to confess, though, your new single is my absolute favorite.”

“Yeah, it’s amazing. ‘Where You Are’ is actually one of Will’s!” Charlie turns to Darcy, who is trying his best to look like he doesn’t want to strangle his friend.

“Really?” Catherine looks over at Darcy with interest. “What was the inspiration behind that?”

Maybe it’s just because Lizzie knows Darcy, but she can’t believe Catherine can’t tell he would rather be anywhere else.

Darcy gives his best forced grin. “You know, we toured in America last year promoting the second album, and it was such a great experience, I just wanted to write a song reflecting that.”

One of Catherine’s very elegant eyebrows raises. “Are you sure? Because a little bird told me the song’s about your new girl.”

Darcy’s eyes widen infinitesimally, but thankfully Ed saves him from responding. “Can’t believe everything you hear, Cath.”

“Very true.” Catherine definitely doesn’t believe that’s all there is to the story, but drops it in favor of turning to Ed. “But, in speaking of girls, how’s the new Mrs. Edward Ferrars?”

Ed smiles and ducks his head, blush spreading over his cheeks. “Well, she’s happy we got the honeymoon before the new tour. I’d have been in a lot of hot water otherwise.”

Lizzie turns away from the TV with a slight frown before getting back to cleaning up the kitchen in Darcy’s apartment. She’s in London for the week, having taken off a few days after President’s Day to round out the federal holiday all the public defenders got off. She thought it’d be a nice surprise, and it has been, absolutely, but it’s not enough.

She knows she’s been spoiled, since Darcy was always around when the band were recording the new album, especially because they recorded it in America. But they had to return to the UK to promote it, and to kick off their tour, and Lizzie knows she won’t get to see him for months on end now.

He does live in London after all, even if she could pretend for a few months that he lived with her, in her stupid little apartment that’s a hovel compared to his. And she knew that, but didn’t know it’d be so hard.

She loves him, loves him so _so_ much, more than she thought she’d ever love anyone, especially someone she met because they rear-ended her. And she knows he loves her, or, at least, she thinks he does. So it’s worth it, definitely, but it also makes it hard because their relationship is so under wraps.

It makes sense. As a defense attorney she doesn’t want the attention of being connect to a famous musician, and she’s sure it makes it easier for him to focus if he’s not constantly hounded about his relationship when he’s supposed to be being asked about his music instead.

Still, it stings a little that she won’t get to see him for months after the week is up and he won’t even publicly acknowledge her as his girlfriend. She would say at least Jane understands, but Charlie is a lot more open about his life, so, even if the public doesn’t know who she is, at least they know she exists.

She knows its stupid to be upset, considering ‘Where You Are’ isn’t even really _her_ song. But it is about her, at least a little, and now he’s pretending it isn’t. He didn’t even release her song.

Although, she will admit, she likes that its just something for the two of them.

Giving up on cleaning the already too-clean kitchen, she flops down on the couch to tune back in to the last moments of the interview.

Catherine is laughing. “Well, I’m glad you all are back on. I was worried I’d have to make up some excuse to see you again.”

“Of course, Cath. We’ve always got time for you, you know that,” Rich says with a genuine smile.

“And I appreciate it. So, where’re you off to next?”

“First we’re starting the tour in Britain, of course, before moving on to Ireland. Then, we’re playing some shows in Germany, France, Italy, and Spain before heading to America for a couple of months. The last leg of the tour is in Japan and Australia before we head home again,” Charlie tells her.

Catherine lets out a low whistle. “That’s a long tour. Are you prepared?”

“As much as we can be, I think. It’ll be nice to be in America again, at least, and we’ve got a week of a break while we’re there.”

“That’s where your girlfriend lives, right Charlie?”

“Yeah, she’s an angel.” Charlie’s face goes goofy for a moment as he mentions Jane, but he turns more serious as he turns to Darcy. “But I’m not the only one who’ll be visiting someone I love.”

“Oh really?” Catherine turns to Darcy.

Lizzie holds her breath as Darcy steels himself before giving a small, but genuine smile. “Yeah, my girlfriend lives there, too.”

“You wanker! We’re at the end of the interview and you drop that bomb on me,” Catherine says with a laugh.

“We might have planned that,” Charlie teases. “You know how Will likes his privacy.”

“Too true.” Catherine sighs with some disappointment. “Well, I hope you and your girlfriend are very happy together.”

Darcy’s smile widens a bit, a some of his awkwardness disappearing. “I’d like to think we are, yeah.”

“Wanker,” Catherine says once more, fond. “You heard it here first, folks. _Shades of Pemberly_ , out now!”

Lizzie shuts off the TV with a shaky exhale. She suddenly understands why Darcy decided that tonight he was going to go over the tour contracts with the band, even though it probably could’ve waited until she was back in America. The dork was probably worried that she’d be mad.

But she’s not. She is most certainly, absolutely, not.

* * *

 

Darcy doesn’t get back until after dark, when he thinks Lizzie’s had enough time to calm down if she was mad about the interview he had on Catherine’s show. Of course, he doesn’t _think_ she’ll be mad, but he wants to make sure. Lizzie’s the first serious girlfriend he’s had, and he’s really hoping she’ll be the last.t

Not that he’s told her that, of course. He knows he can come off as rude and stuck-up, but when he saw her standing there, arguing with his American driver after they had rear-ended her, he knew he needed to get her name, and hopefully her number. And somehow, by some miracle, he’d managed to do it.

He’s still not entirely sure how, but has learned to not look gift horses in the mouth, so to speak.

So, the interview with Catherine might’ve been a bit of a gamble, but he’s hoping Lizzie reacted favorably to it. He’s tired of hiding their relationship, even if the secrecy does make it easier on them. Doubly so for Lizzie, who prefers to keep a low-profile when dealing with the clientele she has.

There are still lights on in the flat when he opens the door, but no sign of his girlfriend. It’s clear she’s been busy, however, due to the cleanliness of his kitchen and the scattered files full of her legal cases spread out on the coffee table.

“Lizzie?” he calls out, frowning when he doesn’t get an answer.

His heart rate spikes when he thinks for a moment that she’s left, but remembers her cases are still on the table, and she’d never go anywhere without them. So he goes through the rooms in his flat, not that there are many, searching for her.

Finally he reaches the bedroom, and see her curled up, asleep, on his bed. The tension drains out of him as he kicks off his shoes and slides in next to her. She stirs when he presses a kiss to the nape of her neck, groaning. “What time is it?”

He checks his watch briefly before wrapping an arm around her waist. “8:30.”

“Fuck,” she mutters, turning in his embrace to tuck her head under his chin. “When did you get back?”

He lets himself smile at how ridiculous she is when she wakes up. He knows the jet lag has been hard, but he still has to laugh at how grumpy she is. “Just now.”

“Missed you.” She yawns, before pushing back suddenly, looking at him with wide eyes. “Wait.”

“What?” Panic bubbles in his chest again before she throws her arm around his him and buries her face in his neck. Confusion takes its place. “What’s the matter?”

He feels the curve of her smile as she answers, “I watched _More with Morland_.”

“And you’re not mad?” he asks carefully.

She snorts before pulling back again. “You can be such an idiot, Will. Of course I’m not mad. I love you.”

His heart stops and starts again within the span of fifteen seconds. “I, I love you, too.”

Her smile is bright as she moves in to kiss him. They have shared many, many kisses since their first, but each one leaves him breathless and warm. He manages to roll her onto her back as he leans on one arm over her, her hands clutching at him as if her life depended on it.

They eventually have to break apart to breath, and he takes the moment to rest his head on her shoulder. She sighs as she runs a hand through his hair. “I’m going to miss you.”

“As will I.” He moves so he can look at her face. “I wish you could stay longer.”

“Yeah, I know.” She smiles, but it’s a little bitter as she plays with his hair. “Too bad time waits for no man.”

He rolls on to his side and pulls her so she’s resting on his chest. “Well, the tour is three months.”

“Don’t remind me,” she groans.

“But after that -”

”You’ll be able to visit me.”

He swallows the lump in his throat. “Georgie was thinking of going to Julliard, and I thought I might follow her, if she’s accepted.”

Her eyes go wide. “To New York?”

“The States, more generally, and,” he exhales, “your apartment? More specifically.”

She opens and closes her mouth a few times, before managing, “The band?”

“I would rather live with you and visit them than the other way around.”

A shaky laugh escapes her as she throws her arms around him, pulling him to her tightly. “We’d have to find a bigger, nicer place.”

He buries his face in the crook of her neck. “Is that a yes?”

“Of course, dummy. The answer is always yes.”

Relief floods him as he kisses her neck. “Good, I’m glad.”

* * *

The music is just loud enough that Lizzie would worry about the noise levels if she was living in her old apartment. As it stands, she and Darcy have just moved into a more upscale place with better insulation. She’d ever be able to afford it on her own, but with a somewhat successful musician for a boyfriend, it’s well within their price-range.

Charlotte had, of course, insisted on throwing a housewarming party once they’d completely moved in, so their first real night in the apartment was spent with friends and family. Lizzie was just glad she’d managed to keep the guest list to under twenty people.

Even though she had had some reservations, it warms her heart to see Georgie, Kitty, and Lydia hitting it off in a corner. Hopefully Georgie, who is a sweet and charming 18-year-old, will have a positive influence on her two younger sisters, who could use some nicer friends. Then there’s Jane, Charlie, Ed, and his wife Elinor talking to Mary and her girlfriend Maria, probably about Mary's planned dissertation on the evolution of the piano. Charlotte is, as Lizzie knew she would be, trying to arm wrestle Rich as her girlfriend Anne looks on in embarrassment.

Darcy joins her and George Knightly after untangling himself from the conversation he’d been roped into by Emma, Harriet, and Marianne, who are gossiping about a recent rumored break-up between Henry Crawford and his newest fling.

“Bloody hell.” He takes Lizzie’s glass of wine and gulps down a good portion of it.

George looks on, amused. “I should’ve warned you. It’s all Emma and Harriet could talk about on the ride over.”

“It’s fine. You’d just think they’d have better things to do.”

“Poor Will, being hounded after for his access to famous people and not for his talent,” Lizzie teases him.

He blushes as he scowls at her. “That’s hardly the problem.”

“Emma seems like she’s had a bit too much to drink, anyway. I should go and see if I can get her to have some water.” George gives Lizzie a pat on her shoulder. “We should catch up on the Grant case more tomorrow.”

“Sounds good.” She turns to Darcy. “So, regretting moving in with me yet?”

“More like I regret the amount of friends we have,” he grumbles, pouring a glass of wine for himself.

“Cheer up, babe. They’re happy for us.”

He smiles at that. “I’m happy for us, too.”

She wraps an arm around his waist and leans on him. “Good. Hopefully you don’t regret it.”

“Believe me, I won’t.”

And he doesn’t.


End file.
